Mounjaro is “significantly” more effective for weight loss than Ozempic, according to a new study.
The study, published Nov. 22 by Truveta Research, analyzed 18,386 overweight or obese adult patients who took Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro or Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic between May 2022 and September 2023.
Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide, which works by reducing appetite and improving the way the body breaks down sugar and fat. The drug — which is given by injection into the thigh, abdomen or arm — is FDA-approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, but many have used it off-label for weight loss.
Mounjaro’s competitor is Ozempic, a brand name for semaglutide, which works in the brain to affect satiety and is also FDA-approved to treat type 2 diabetes. Similar to Mounjaro, Ozempic has been trending for celebrities using it to weight loss unspecified.
The researchers found that patients taking Mounjaro experienced “significantly greater reductions in body weight” while taking the drug compared to patients taking Ozempic.
A large study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, found that patients taking Mounjaro were three times more likely to lose 15% of their body weight than those taking Ozempic. In addition, patients on Mounjar were six times more likely to lose 10% of their body weight and 1.8 times more likely to lose 5% of their body weight than those taking Ozempic.
Ozempic FAQ: All about the weight-loss drug — Yes, you’ll likely gain weight when you stop taking it
Getty
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“We were able to compare the direct efficacy of these two important weight loss drugs before randomized clinical trials,” Nick Stucky, study author and vice president of Truveta Research, said in a statement. “This study can help inform patient care and outcomes today, not months from now.”
“Since the FDA did not approve tirzepatide until mid-2022 for type 2 diabetes, the ability to rigorously analyze its use (on- and off-label) in a broad population of overweight and obese patients, not just a subset covered by insurance databases, has the potential to greatly improve our understanding of how these agents are used in everyday practice and the impact they have,” added Tyler Gluckman, study author and cardiologist at Providence Health.
A spokesperson for Eli Lilly told NBC Miami that the company does not promote or encourage the off-label use of any of its drugs and noted that the study was not sponsored by the drugmaker. In addition, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk told the outlet that the company was also not involved in the study.
Both Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have other versions of the drug that are approved for weight loss.
Novo Nordisk has Wegovy, the second brand name for semaglutide, which was approved by the FDA for the treatment of obesity in 2021. Eli Lilly has Zepbound, the second brand name for tirzepatide, which was approved by the FDA for the treatment of obesity earlier this month.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education